Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Part 9

_Bun._ To which I answered, that I also had read of very many priests and pharisees, that had their hands in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

_Lind._ Aye, saith he, and you are one of those scribes and pharisees: for you, with a pretence, make long prayers to devour widows' houses.

_Bun._ I answered, that if he had got no more by preaching and praying than I had done, he would not be so rich as now he was. But that scripture coming into my mind, _Answer not a fool according to his folly_, I was as sparing of my speech as I could, without prejudice to truth.

Now by this time my mittimus was made, and I committed to the constable, to be sent to the jail in Bedford, etc.

But as I was going, two of my brethren met with me by the way, and desired the constable to stay, supposing that they should prevail with the justice, through the favour of a pretended friend, to let me go at liberty. So we did stay, while they went to the justice; and after much discourse with him, it came to this: that if I would come to him again, and say some certain words to him, I should be released. Which when they told me, I said if the words was such that might be said with a good conscience, I should or else I should not. So through their importunity went back again, but not believing that I should be delivered: for I feared their spirit was too full of opposition to the truth to let me go, unless I should, in something or other, dishonour my G.o.d and wound my conscience. Wherefore, as I went, I lifted up my heart to G.o.d, for light and strength to be kept, that I might not do any thing that might either dishonour Him, or wrong my own soul, or be a grief or discouragement to any that was inclining after the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, when I came to the justice again, there was Mr _Foster_ of Bedford, who, coming out of another room, and seeing me by the light of the candle (for it was dark night when I went thither), he said unto me, Who is there? _John Bunyan_? with such seeming affection, as if he would have leaped on my neck and kissed {191a} me, which made me somewhat wonder, that such a man as he, with whom I had so little acquaintance, and, besides, that had ever been a close opposer of the ways of G.o.d, should carry himself so full of love to me; but, afterwards, when I saw what he did, it caused me to remember those sayings, _Their tongues are smoother than oil_, _but their words are drawn swords_. And again, _Beware of men_, _etc._ When I {191b} had answered him, that blessed be G.o.d, I was well; he said, What is the occasion of your being here? or to that purpose. To whom I answered, that I was at a meeting of people a little way off, intending to speak a word of exhortation to them; the justice hearing thereof, said I, was pleased to send his warrant to fetch me before him, etc.

_Fost._ So (said he), I understand: but well, if you will promise to call the people no more together, you shall have your liberty to go home; for my brother is very loath to send you to prison, if you will be but ruled.

_Bun._ Sir (said I), pray what do you mean by calling the people together? my business is not anything among them, when they are come together, but to exhort them to look after the salvation of their souls, that they may be saved, etc.

_Fost._ Saith he, We must not enter into explication, or dispute now; but if you will say you will call the people no more together, you may have your liberty; if not, you must be sent away to prison.

_Bun._ Sir, said I, I shall not force or compel any man to hear me; but yet, if I come into any place where there is a people met together, I should, according to the best of my skill and wisdom, exhort and counsel them to seek out after the Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of their souls.

_Fost._ He said, That was none of my work; I must follow my calling; and if I would but leave off preaching, and follow my calling, I should have the justice's favour, and be acquitted presently.

_Bun._ To whom I said, that I could follow my calling, and that too, namely, preaching the Word: and I did look upon it as my duty to do them both, as I had an opportunity.

_Fost._ He said, To have any such meetings was against the law; and, therefore, he would have me leave off, and say, I would call the people no more together.

_Bun._ To whom I said, that I durst not make any further promise; for my conscience would not suffer me to do it. And again, I did look upon it as my duty to do as much good as I could, not only in my trade, but also in communicating to all people wheresoever I came the best knowledge I had in the Word.

_Fost._ He told me that I was the nearest the Papists of any, and that he would convince me of immediately.

_Bun._ I asked him, Wherein?

_Fost._ He said, In that we understood the Scriptures literally.

_Bun._ I told him that those that were to be understood literally, we understood them so; but for those that was to be understood otherwise, we endeavoured so to understand them.

_Fost._ He said, Which of the Scriptures do you understand literally?

_Bun._ I said this, _He that believes shall be saved_. This was to be understood just as it is spoken; that whosoever believeth in Christ shall, according to the plain and simple words of the text, be saved.

_Fost._ He said that I was ignorant, and did not understand the Scriptures; for how, said he, can you understand them when you know not the original Greek? etc.

_Bun._ To whom I said, that if that was his opinion, that none could understand the Scriptures but those that had the original Greek, etc., then but a very few of the poorest sort should be saved (this is harsh); yet the Scripture saith, _That G.o.d hides these things from the wise and prudent_ (that is, from the learned of the world), _and reveals them to babes and sucklings_.

_Fost._ He said there were none that heard me but a company of foolish people.

_Bun._ I told him that there was the wise as well as the foolish that do hear me; and again, those that were most commonly counted foolish by the world are the wisest before G.o.d; also, that G.o.d had rejected the wise, and mighty, and n.o.ble, and chosen the foolish, and the base.

_Fost._ He told me that I made people neglect their calling; and that G.o.d had commanded people to work six days, and serve Him on the seventh.

_Bun._ I told him that it was the duty of people, (both rich and poor), to look out for their souls on them days as well as for their bodies; and that G.o.d would have His people exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day.

_Fost._ He said again that there were none but a company of poor, simple, ignorant people that come to hear me.

_Bun._ I told him that the foolish and the ignorant had most need of teaching and information; and, therefore, it would be profitable for me to go on in that work.

_Fost._ Well, said he, to conclude, but will you promise that you will not call the people together any more? and then you may be released and go home.

_Bun._ I told him that I durst say no more than I had said; for I durst not leave off that work which G.o.d had called me to.

So he withdrew from me, and then came several of the justice's servants to me, and told me that I stood so much upon a nicety. Their master, they said, was willing to let me go; and if I would but say I would call the people no more together, I might have my liberty, etc.

_Bun._ I told them there were more ways than one in which a man might be said to call the people together. As for instance, if a man get upon the market-place, and there read a book, or the like, though he do not say to the people, Sirs, come hither and hear; yet if they come to him because he reads, he, by his very reading, may be said to call them together; because they would not have been there to hear if he had not been there to read. And seeing this might be termed a calling the people together; I durst not say, I would not call them together; for then, by the same argument, my preaching might be said to call them together.

_Wing. and Fost._ Then came the justice and Mr Foster to me again; (we had a little more discourse about preaching, but because the method of it is out of my mind, I pa.s.s it); and when they saw that I was at a point, and would not be moved nor persuaded, Mr Foster, the man that did at first express so much love to me, told the justice that then he must send me away to prison. And that he would do well, also, if he would present all those that were the cause of my coming among them to meetings. Thus we parted.

And, verily, as I was going forth of the doors, I had much ado to forbear saying to them that I carried the peace of G.o.d along with me; but I held my peace, and, blessed be the Lord, went away to prison, with G.o.d's comfort in my poor soul.

After I had lain in the jail five or six days, the brethren sought means, again, to get me out by bondsmen; (for so ran my mittimus, that I should lie there till I could find sureties). They went to a justice at Elstow, one Mr Crumpton, to desire him to take bond for my appearing at the quarter sessions. At the first he told them he would; but afterwards he made a demur at the business, and desired first to see my mittimus, which ran to this purpose: That I went about to several conventicles in the county, to the great disparagement of the government of the church of England, etc. When he had seen it, he said that there might be something more against me than was expressed in my mittimus; and that he was but a young man, therefore he durst not do it. This my jailor told me; and, whereat I was not at all daunted but rather glad, and saw evidently that the Lord had heard me; for before I went down to the justice, I begged of G.o.d that if I might do more good by being at liberty than in prison, that then I might be set at liberty; but if not, His will be done; for I was not altogether without hopes but that my imprisonment might be an awakening to the saints in the country, therefore I could not tell well which to choose; only I, in that manner, did commit the thing to G.o.d.

And verily, at my return, I did meet my G.o.d sweetly in the prison again, comforting of me and satisfying of me that it was His will and mind that I should be there.

When I came back again to prison, as I was musing at the slender answer of the justice, this word dropt in upon my heart with some life, _For He knew that for envy they had delivered Him_.

Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion of my being in prison; where I lie waiting the good will of G.o.d, to do with me as He pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of my head can fall to the ground without the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Let the rage and malice of men be never so great, they can do no more, nor go any further, than G.o.d permits them; but when they have done their worst, We know all things shall work together for good to them that love G.o.d.

Farewell.

_Here is the Sum of my Examination before Justice_ KEELIN, _Justice_ CHESTER, _Justice_ BLUNDALE, _Justice_ BEECHER, _Justice_ SNAGG, _etc._

AFTER I had lain in prison above seven weeks, the quarter-sessions were to be kept in Bedford, for the county thereof, unto which I was to be brought; and when my jailor had set me before those justices, there was a bill of indictment preferred against me. The extent thereof was as followeth: That John Bunyan, of the town of Bedford, labourer, being a person of such and such conditions, he hath (since such a time) devilishly and perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear Divine service, and is a common upholder of several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance and distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the King, etc.

_The Clerk_. When this was read, the clerk of the sessions said unto me, What say you to this?

_Bun._ I said, that as to the first part of it, I was a common frequenter of the Church of G.o.d. And was also, by grace, a member with the people, over whom Christ is the Head.

_Keelin_. But, saith Justice _Keelin_ (who was the judge in that court), do you come to church (you know what I mean); to the parish church, to hear Divine service?

_Bun._ I answered, No, I did not.

_Keel._ He asked me, Why?

_Bun._ I said, Because I did not find it commanded in the Word of G.o.d.

_Keel._ He said, We were commanded to pray.